


Christmas Daze

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Fever, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 13:03:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8714995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Neal helps Peter to find the perfect gift for Elizabeth. But he makes insane suggestions until Peter realizes he is delirious with fever.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [azertynin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/azertynin/gifts).



> This story is written for White Collar H/C Advent Challenge 2016 and it fills a prompt left by Azertynin on Collar Corner some time ago.

“Neal?”

“Yes?”

“Remember you promised to help me look for a gift for…”

“Elizabeth!, Yes, I remember.” Neal interrupts Peter enthusiastically. But he doesn´t make any recommendations, he just starts fiddling with some buttons on the computer in front of him.

It is already dark and they have been locked up in the van for hours. Their suspect hasn´t been in sight and Peter is pretty sure he won´t show tonight. They are not here to arrest anybody, they are just surveilling, the cameras and microphones are recording, so Peter has to admit, it is rather boring. That is why he thought about El´s present.

“So?” Peter asks while batting away Neal´s hands.

“So what?” Neal looks confused back to Peter.

“What should I buy her?” Peter repeats irked.

Neal nods like it is the first time he hears the question. He gets a pensive look and then he suddenly smiles.

“Why don´t you take her to Paris, walk the banks along the Seine, have lunch on Montmartre, shop..”

“Do you realize what such a vacation costs? And there is no time left to organize this in such a sort amount of time, not with my budget.”

“Right.”

Neal starts reading the newspaper Peter brought with him.

“Hey, did you see Tiffany´s is having a Christmas sale?” he suddenly asks.

“How is that helping me?”

“You could buy Elizabeth a diamond…”

“Neal, that is not within my budget. Come on, focus.” Peter interrupts annoyed.

 Neal sighs. “Do we have coffee? I am thirsty.”

“No, since you drank the last, two hours ago.” Peter rummages through the bag El handed him this morning. When he finds a bottle of water, he tosses it to Neal.

“Here, drink this.”

Neal thanks Peter and empties the bottle in one go. He tries to bottle flip it, but the bottle just lands on its side.

“It looks easier on You tube.”

Peter snorts. “You need to leave about a third of water in it before flipping it.”

“Did you see the icicles that hang from June´s gargoyles?”

Peter ponders over Neal´s question. Where the hell did that come from? How do you go from bottle flips to gargoyles? He shakes his head. “No, I didn´t.”

“Too bad, you should see them, they are gorgeous.” Neal thinks. “And deadly.” He adds.

Peter frowns while studying Neal. he is just about to open his mouth to ask Neal about El´s present when.

“Sorry, El´s present. I know a lovely Picasso…”

“Let me stop you right there, OK? No stolen goods.”

“I wasn´t going to suggest a stolen piece…” Neal sounds affronted.

Peter shakes his head. Why did he ask Neal? He should have checked Elizabeth´s _Want_ on Pinterest.

“She would like Louboutins.” Neal blinks lazily.

“I am not buying her five hundred dollar shoes. It is the thought that counts, not the amount of money.”

“A curling clinic, I bet she would like to learn how to curl.”

“Why would my wife like to curl?”

“Hey, just trying to help, jzzz.” Neal answers offended.

Peter is happy when Neal stays quiet for a moment. Then out of the blue Neal is back with a suggestion.

“Maybe she would like a pony?”

“For God sake, Neal. You are not helping.”

Neal turns around in his seat sulking.

“What are we doing here?” Neal suddenly asks. It sound so sincere Peter is taken aback. This can´t be right.

“Are you alright?”

“I´m fine.”

“You would say…”

“I AM FINE.” Neal interrupts him angrily. A second later, he is sing songing. “A present for El, An Elpresent, presElent…” Neal pulls his jacket off. “It´s hot in here, or maybe I am hot.” Neal laughs at his own remark. “Hey, I know a great present, maybe you can take her to Tomorrow world? Do some dancing…” Neal starts moving to music only he hears, but suddenly stops. “Wow, maybe you should stop moving the van.”

Peter notices suddenly that Neal starts slurring his words.

“Are you sure you feel alright?”

Neal pulls his jacket back on but Peter can still see the shiver that runs through Neal.

“Are you sick?”

“No, why?”

“Do you know what we were discussing earlier?”

“Elizabeth´s present.”

Peter is surprised, he thought Neal wouldn´t remember. But Neal responses are so off, he has to be sick or drugged or under influence.

“What would you buy her then?”

“Who?”

“That´s it.” Peter reaches over and puts his hand on Neal´s forehead and hisses in surprise. Neal is burning up. Peter switches on the light in the van and only now he realizes that Neal is pale and flushed.

“Neal, you are running a fever. That´s it, I´m taking you to the ER.”

“Why would we go to the ER for a present? We should go to Bloomingdale´s.”

“Sure, buddy, let me call reinforcements.”

Peter calls Jones and Blake. There is no need to call Diana in the middle of the night, she has Theo to take care of.

When they arrive, Neal is babbling nonsense. Jones and Blake help Peter get Neal in his car and they drive to the nearest hospital.

 

* *  *

 

The next day, Peter and Neal are home. Elizabeth had a luncheon to attend to, so Peter took a personal day to take care of Neal, who is fast asleep on their couch. Peter has to admit, it is not so bad to stay home, while it is snowing outside. Satchmo is sleeping at his feet and the lights of the Christmas tree are twinkling. He just made himself some coffee and he is reading a book, he wanted to read for some time now.

When Neal stirs, he puts the book down.

“How are you feeling?”

“Sore, headache, tired.” Neal mumbles before opening his eyes.

“Next time you are sick, please tell us, before your brain tries to cook itself again.” Peter can´t help sneer.

He gets up and walks into the kitchen where he has some tea infusing. He pours some in a mug, adds lemon, honey and a shot of rum. When he gets back into the living room, he hands it to Neal who sniffs it a bit hesitantly.

“It a grog, like my mum used to make when we were sick. Works like a charm.” Peter states dryly.

Neal cautiously sips the hot beverage. It taste good and he smiles. He finishes it, a rosy glow coming over his face and he stares happily at the Christmas tree.

“I never get sick.”

“No, but when you do, you catch up on it big time. The doctor said it was one of the worst flu cases he saw this season.”

“What can I say, I am special.”

“Yeah, now rest, I want you among the living on Christmas evening. El invited Mozzie, so you better make sure you are up and talking when he gets here.”

Neal smiles laying back in his cocoon of soft blankets and closing his eyes. He is safe with family and friends. He opens his eyes for a short moment when he feels Peter next to him, he holds up a thermometer.

“Still a bit high. Here take some Tylenol.”

Neal swallows the pills with some water. And it doesn´t take long for Neal to drift off, listening to Satchmo´s snoring and the soft music playing in the background.


End file.
